Machine Translation:
Dili, 16 ago 2021 (Lusa) – East Timor today recorded three deaths associated with covid-19, the highest number in one day since the beginning of the pandemic, and 117 new infections, most of it in Dili, according to health authorities.
Data from the Integrated Center for Crisis Management (IGC) indicates that the three deaths recorded in Dili – all people at the Vera Cruz Isolation Center – increasing the total deadly cases since March 2020 to 33.
The three victims are a 60-year-old male – with a history of chronic kidney failure and entered Vera Cruz on Sunday -, a 76-year-old man who died from a lung thromboembolism and a 63-year-old woman with history of severe anemia.
In the last 24 hours, 68 new cases have been recorded in Dili, 15 in Covalima, ten in the Oecusse-Ambeno Special Administrative Region (RAEA), six each in Aileu e Liquiçá, five in Manufahi, three each in Ainaro and Bobonaro and one in Viqueque.
Accounting for the new infections, and the total of 41 recovered cases, total active cases in the country increased to 2.141 and the total accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic rose to 12.682.
Dili currently has 887 active cases, Ermera 695, Covalima 180 and the enclave of Oecusse a total of 98.
Today’s data confirm the worsening situation of the covid-19 pandemic in Timor-Leste over the last few weeks, with the country experiencing its second vacancy.
In the weekly epidemiological bulletin, authorities note that among the 1.036 cases recorded in the last week, there were 122 people already with full vaccination (considered two weeks after the second dose), 262 with the first dose and 452 without any vaccine.
′′ None of the 30 deaths recorded so far have been vaccinated “, says the bulletin, spanning the period from August 09 to 15 and does not count on today’s data.
In the last week until August 15, Timor-Leste recorded 1.036 new infections, representing 8,2 % of all cases recorded in the country since the beginning of the pandemic (12.565), with one of the days to be one of the newest infections.
Increase in cases led to the incidence rate nearly doubling from 6,1 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in the week between August 02 and August 08 to 11,2 per 100 thousand inhabitants in the week up to 15 August th
Dili led this table again, with an incidence rate from 9,2 to 23,2 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, with high rates in Covalima (14), Ermera (13,9) and the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno (RAEA), currently in 10,7.
Weekly analysis was prepared by Pillar 3 of the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the covid-19 prevention and mitigation task force of the Integrated Center for Crisisis Management (IGC) Situation Room.
The Timorese National Institute of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), Australian Medical Support Teams (AusMAT) and Menzies School of Health Research, an institution supporting the Timorese National Laboratory in Dili in covid-19 testing. , also participate in the study.
The bulletin also shows that the positivity rate – the number of cases detected versus tests carried out – was in the last week of 17,7 % (or 679 out of 3.842 tests), more than twice the previous week’s figures, where settled at 8,2 %.
Especially high was the positivity rate in Ermera (47 %) and RAEA (21 %).
After the first wave began to be checked until almost the end of July, since then active cases in the country have almost tripled from 700 in the last week of last month to today’s 2.141
A new vacancy that began to increase since the beginning of August, marked by significant growth in municipalities outside the capital, especially Ermera – the lowest vaccination region in the country.
Confirmed was also the entry of the Delta variant into the country, particularly in Ermera.
The data also shows that after Dili was the main focus of the disease during the first wave, in the case of this new August vacancy, the increase has been particularly marked outside the capital.
With regard to vaccination, by 15 August, a total of 340.703 people had the first dose, or 45,1 % of the population of the country over 18, with the full vaccination already covered 127.600 people, or 16,9 % of the population.
Timor-Leste has officially received 170 shots of vaccines offered by the Japanese Government today.
′′ The number of cases of covid-19 in East Timor is increasing, and it is likely to increase further, with the rapid spread of the Delta variant. In populations with high vaccine coverage, this is likely to result primarily in slight cases “, the bulletin refers.
′′ However, there is a very high risk of severe cases and deaths in people who are not fully vaccinated. It is important that vaccination is increased in municipalities with lower vaccine coverage, including Ermera, Ainaro, Aileu and Liquica “, “, stresses.
ASP // JH
Lusa / End
